Two compensatory picks awarded to Falcons

The Falcons will receive two more draft picks this upcoming April, bringing their total to 10. The two picks are among 32 compensatory draft picks handed out by the league each year. They are awarded to teams based off an undisclosed formula that compensates them for lost free agents from the prior year. These picks are added at the end of rounds 3 through 7 of the draft.

Although not officially known, the Falcons two picks likely correspond to the free agent losses of offensive linemen Kevin Shaffer and Barry Stokes last off-season.

The first of the two picks will be the 34rth pick in round 4, or 133rd overall. The other pick will be the 34th pick of round 7, or 244th overall. The Falcons now have a draft pick in each round, along with two picks in the second round and three in round four. The team previously had given up its seventh round pick to the New Orleans Saints as part of the conditions that netted offensive tackle Wayne Gandy last year.